Shoe tree for open heeled shoes



Oct. 18, 1949. R. B. NELSON SHOE TREE FOR OPEN HEELED SHOES 2Shee'tsPSheet 1 -Filed June 6, 1946 fia efifl A i 2 5 222 Oct. 18, 1949.R. B. NELSON 2,485,505

SHOE TREE FOR OPEN HEELED. saons Filed June 6, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR.

M W W;

Patented Oct. 18. 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This inventionpertains to shoe trees, in particular, trees for the so-calledopen-heeled or counterless type of shoes. Shoes of the aforementionedtype are generally characterized by a strap or top counted portion whichencircles the ankle of the wearer. Such shoes are usually completelyopen in that portion immediately above the heel and below theaforementioned strap. The shoe tree comprising the invention is adaptedfor use with any shoe which is open in that portion of the upperadjacent the juncture of the sole and the forwardmost edge of the heel.

In the past, shoe trees have generally been so constructed as to relyupon the inner surface of the shoe counter as an abutment against whichsome part of the tree may find support. It will be obvious that shoetrees designed to abut the shoe counter cannot properly function whenused in shoes which are devoid of a counter.

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a shoetree which will properly stretchingly support a shoe of the describedclass, relying on means insertable within the shoe and engaging the shoeforwardly of the heel for its support against displacement.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a shoetree which is relatively self-adjusting as to length and which will fitshoes having various sole widths and types of heels.

Still another object of the invention is that of providing an article ofthe class described which is of relatively low-cost manufacture andwhich, consequently, can be put upon the market at a relatively lowselling price.

' Other and further objects of the invention willbe apparent from thedetailed description which follows and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of one form of the invention as it appears whenused in a shoe of the type hereinbefore described;

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a modified form of the inventionassociated with a shoe;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base of the modified form of the inventionshown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of still another form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of the base of themodified form shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the base portion of still anothermodification.

Broadly viewed, the invention comprises a base which is insertable intoa shoe which has an open upper portion at both its sides adjacent thejunc- 2 ture of the fore-part of heel and the instep, the base havingassociated with it a toe supporting portion which is resilientlyspring-borne and which extends forwardly of the base, the base havingmeans associated with it for positioning forwardly of the heel at thejuncture of the heel and the instep of the shoe to resist backwarddisplacement, all the aforesaid parts, in combination, making for easyattachment to a shoe and giving support to the toe portion againstharmful indentation and to the sole against upward curl. v

Referring now to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral l indicatesgenerally a womans shoe having a toe portion 2 and a heel 3. The shoehas a sole 4 which arches upwardly and backwardly to form an instepportion 5 mounted rearwardly of which is the upstanding heel 3.

The shoe has its upper cut away in an area extending approximately fromthe juncture of the fore part of the heel and the sole upward andbackward a distance. The shoe is rearwardly retained on the foot of thewearer by an ankle encircling strap 6.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, the numeral l0 indicates generallya base adapted for insertion in a shoe of the type described, in aposition above the heel. Numeral l I indicates a plate at one side ofwhich a flexible chain 12 is fastened as at [3 and opposite the point ofinterconnection of plate II and chain l2 the former is provided with aninwardly directed notch M of such width as to hold individual links ofchain l2 when such links are latched thereinto substantially in themanner shown. About medially I of its' width plate II has an upwardlypositioned rigid U-shaped pin I5 attached thereto which is encompassedin hinge-like relation by the end 16 of an elongated flexible spring ortongue member H. Member l1 extends forwardly from pin l5, lengthwise ofthe shoe in which it is to be placed, and is of a length such as tooverextend the shoe when removed therefrom and to assume a tensionedarched position when inserted in a shoe. Attached to member I! at itsoutermost end is a plastic or wooden toe support l8. It will be seenthat when chain I2 is passed under the shoe instep and latched in themanner shown, plate II is relatively rigidly held and forms a secureabutment for the rearward tension exerted thereon by spring I1, forcingtoe support 18 into proper tensioned toe elevating position. The tensionexerted by spring or tongue member I! is suflicient to inhibit anytendency of the sole to curl.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, numeral 20 indicates generally aT-shaped spring or tongue supporting base, the stem 2| of which has anupwardly positioned U-shaped pin l5 attached thereto to which'the end I6of spring I1 is hingedly attached. A pair of opposed parallel arms 24,25 extend downwardly and forwardly from the side extremities 22, 23 ofbase a distance sufficient to downwardly and forwardly overextend thejuncture of the shoe instep and heel. Arms 24, 25 are each provided withopposed and aligned openings 26 therein (only one set appearing thedrawings) through opposed ones of which the rigid pin 21 is insertable.Pin 2? abuts the forwardmost edge of the shoe heel to restrain base 20against rearward displacement under the tension of spring l1.

Referring to the showing of Figs. 4: and: 5,,the base in this instance,generally indicated 36, comprises a generally U-shaped frame 3|, thebase of which is bowed as at 32 to permit the tree and a shoe placedthereon to be hung up. A spring or tongue mounting 33 extendstransversely of frame 31 to hingedly carry the end l6 of spring IT, andif desired, a rigid support such as 34', may be provided to giveadditional rigidity to frame 3 l. Such rigid transversely extendingmembers as elements 33, 34 may be easily spot welded into appropriateposition. One end of frame 31 is bent backwardly, as shown, to form aloop 35 and the opposite end of frame 3| is bent to form a hook 36... Arigid pin 31, one end of which is provided with an elongated loop 38,extends transversely between loop 35 and hook 36, in its. attachedposition. Like pin 21, pin 3'! in attached position extends forwardlyacross the heel and below. the instep to prevent rearward displacementof frame 3| and associated parts.

Referrin now to Fig. 6, the base, generally in dicated 46, is ofT-shape. The stem 4| of the T is transversely cut and struck upwardly toform identical enclosing guides 42., 42 for a rod 43 which is slidablypositioned for longitudinal movement in such guides. At its rearwardportion rod 43 is looped as at 44 and the end [6 of resilient tongue orspring I! is apertured to hingedly receive the loop 44, a pin 45 givingflexible connection between the parts. At its end opposite, its hingedconnection with spring I] rod 43 has, integrally attached to it a plate46thaving. opposed holes therein into which the inner ends of. apair ofrelatively small-diameter opposed rods 41, 48 are positioned. Theopposed and outwardly extending arms 49, 50 of T-shapedbase 4llareinwardly cut out and curled downwardly, ina' conventional manner intohinge-like form. A pair of opposed generally L-shaped heel grippers 55,56 are cut out and curled as at 5!, 52 into mating hingelike relation tothe cut out and curled ends of arms 49, 59. Identical pins 59, 59 permitgrippers 55, 56 to hingedly swing with respect. to arms 49, 56 under theurging of rods 41, 48, which, as shown, have their extremities hookedinto the upwardly extending levers 53, 54, the latter being integralwith grippers 55, 56. Grippers 55, 56 have opposed inwardly directedtongues 51, 58 formed integral therewith, the latter beingadapted toengage the forepart of the shoe heel when in attached position.

With respect to the showing of Fig. 6, it will be apparent that when notension is directed against the rearward extremity of rod 43, this rodcan move forwardly to the position shown in dotted lines and grippers55, 56 will be forced to the positions shown for them in dotted lines onthe drawings. Base 40 is placed in a shoe when the above described partsare in the last named position. When base 40 is inserted in a shoe,insertion of toe support I8 into the shoe will create a rearwardlydirected tension on spring I! which is transmitted to rod 43, pushingsuch rod back to substantially the position in which it is shown infull. lines on the drawings andexerting an outwardly directed: pushing,action on rods 41, 48. The outwardly directed push given rods 41, 48will cause grippers 55, 56 to swing inwardly to an extent that tongues51, 58 will forwardly engage the heel thereby preventing dislodgement ofbase: 0',

On the drawings and in the foregoing description, I have shown anddescribed an invention whicheifectively achieves the objects set forthwith respect to it. I have specifically set forth several modificationswhich come well within my inventive concept and I realize that other andfurther modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in theart. Therefore I do not wish to be limited tothe exact forms shown anddescribed except as I may be limited by the scope of. the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree comprising a generally fiat base approximating the widthof a shoe, means for connecting the base to a shoe, a toe supportingmember includin a resilient spring member, said spring member beingabuttingly connected to said base and in operative position exertingforce onposite the base-to-shoe connecting means.

2. A shoe tree for shoes open adjacent the juncture of the instep andheel comprising a. base for-placement within the shoe above theaforesaid juncture, a resilient tongue carrying a. toe piece, forinsertion within the toe of the shoe and a downwardly, positionedconnecting means assooiated with; said base for connecting the base tothe shoe.

3. A shoetree comprising a flexible spring having at its, one end a toesupporting element and at itsother enda, base for insertion in a shoeshort of its rearward; extremity, said Spring. in use, arching to exerttension between said toe supporting element and said base and connectingmeans between said base and a shoe.

4. Ashoe tree as specifiedin claim 3 in which the connecting meanscomprises a flexible element having one end fixedtosaid base and itsother end. free. but connectibleto said base onposite its fixedconnection thereto.

5. A shoe, tree as specified in claim 3 in which the.basehasdownwardlyextending sides and the connectingmeans comprises a rigid memberextending transversely of. said sides.

6. A shoe tree as specified in claim3. in which the base comprises anopen. framework and the connectingmeans comprises a member extendingtransverselyof the forepart thereof.

7. In-an article of the described class a toe support, a flat tensionspring attached thereto, a base forming a rearwardabutment for saidspring, and means for interconnecting said base with a shoe, there beinga hinged connection between said spring and said base for free movementof each with respect to the other.

8. A device for preservingthe contour of shoes when off the foot,compr-isinga resilient spring having at itsone end a toesupportingelement and at its other end a base element between which twoelements said spring may-exert tension when positioned in a shoe, andmeans for removably retaining the base element in a position internallyr 'of the shoe somewhat forwardly of the rearward extremity thereof, thetree relying wholly upon tension between said two elements for its shoecontour preserving ability.

9. In a tree for shoes open adjacent the instep and heel, a toe piece, abase adapted to overlay the upper surface of the sole adjacent the heelof the shoe, a flexible leaf spring connecting the toe piece and baseand adapted to be arched for exerting forward tension against said toepiece and means on said base extending exteriorly of the shoe andengageable with the forward part of the heel for resisting the rearwardtension on the base due to the arched spring.

10. In a tree for shoes of the class described, a base, a leaf springhinged to said base, a toe piece carried by the free end of said springand means for anchoring said base to a shoe against rearward movementcomprising an element on said base adapted for engaging the frontportion of the heel of the shoe when said tree is in use,

said leaf spring being adapted to be arched when in use and exertingrearward thrust upon said base.

ROBERT B. NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

